Welcome to the Hillsborough County Bar Association, a nonprofit professional organization that caters to the legal community throughout the Tampa Bay area! The HCBA is one of the most active volunteer bar associations in the nation, and our members are known for their dedicated service to the community.

Judges, attorneys, paralegals, students and even those who work closely with the legal community make up our organization. Our 3,700 members count on us to provide a variety of professional networking events and luncheons, continuing legal education classes, and opportunities to just mingle and have fun. Members can build their client list by joining our Lawyer Referral and Information Service, find colleagues in our online directory, and meet others with similar interests through our 30-plus sections and committees. Our high-quality Lawyer magazine, weekly e-newsletters and social media sites keep everyone up to date on legal trends and local happenings.

The HCBA also helps members find ways to give back to the community. We support various charity causes throughout the year and, through the Hillsborough County Bar Foundation, offer the Residential Mortgage Foreclosure Mediation Program, which is designed to bring homeowners and lenders together to address foreclosure issues. The public also relies on us to offer assistance through our Lawyer Referral Service, our monthly Ask-A-Lawyer segment on Fox 13, and our members’ visits to local libraries to discuss law-related matters.

The bar association itself is located at the Chester H. Ferguson Law Center in downtown Tampa. With elegant board rooms, conference rooms, a large ballroom and a lounge, the center is the crown jewel of the HCBA. It offers a convenient meeting place for our members and is available for private rentals, as well.

So whether you are a student about to graduate, a lawyer who’s new in town, or a business owner who just wants to stay connected with the local legal community, you’ve come to the right place. And if you’re already a member, thank you for making this organization such a good one! I look forward to serving you this year. Together, we will accomplish a great deal.